Self-tanners improve the complexion of the skin and enhance the natural tan. Is it possible to make natural self-tanners at home ? Yes, and in this article we see how to prepare them with three simple recipes that are available to everyone.
Self-tanning water
A completely natural ingredient that gives the skin a color similar to that obtained with exposure to the sun is the onion .
You can try this simple and very cheap remedy to prepare a completely natural self-tanning product .
Ingredients
> the peel of a red onion
> water
Method
Put the peel of a red onion in a saucepan and cover it with water. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat, let cool and strain.
Apply to the skin with a cotton pad or transfer the decoction into a spray bottle and vaporize it on the skin, spreading it evenly with your hands. Keep the decoction in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Self-tanning oil
There are oils that, although they do not have a real self -tanning effect, can improve the complexion of the skin by darkening it and giving it an appearance similar to that of sun exposure.
Ingredients
> 50 grams of grapeseed oil
> 25 grams of walnut oil
> 25 grams of carrot or tomato oil
Method
To make this self- tanning oil just weigh the vegetable oils and mix them together. If you want you can add a touch of golden mica that will brighten the skin and 10 drops of essential oil of your choice to perfume.
The oil is kept in a dark glass bottle protected from light and heat for about two months.
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Self-tanned gels
To make a self-tanning gel we can use erythrulose, a sugar capable of reacting with skin proteins by coloring the surface of the epidermis.
Erythritis can be replaced by another natural molecule, dihydroxyacetone or DHA; unlike the erythrulose which gives the skin a color very similar to that of the tan, the DHA gives a color that turns to orange.
The simplest recipe ever to prepare a self-tanning self-tan is the one below.
Ingredients
> 96.5 grams of Aloe vera gel
> 3 grams of erythrulose
> 0.5 grams of golden mica
> Lactic acid
Method
Add erythrulose and golden mica to Aloe vera gel. Mix well until the ingredients are perfectly mixed. Measure the pH with a litmus paper and adjust it to 5 with a few drops of lactic acid, checking the pH after each addition.
Erythritis and DHA can be used together by dosing the first (3 grams of each per 100 grams of product). They are both soluble in water so you can disperse them in aloe gel or in a hydrolate to be poured into a spray and vaporize on the skin. If you decide to use DHA the pH measurement should be carried out before inserting the dihydroxyacetone.
Pay attention to the use of the self-tanning product on the knees, elbows, ankles and nose because in these parts of the body the color may be more loaded than in the other areas.
Natural self-tanners: some more information
In nature there are substances capable of coloring the skin temporarily, acting as natural self-tanners .
This is the case, for example, of some oils capable of darkening the skin, such as walnut husk oil or powdered cocoa powder which, when added to whipped butter and cream, colors the epidermis or, again, high-content oils of carotenoids such as carrot, tomato or urucum oil, all thanks to the carotenoids that accumulate in the lipids of the cells and give the effect of a better color.
The onion peel can also be used to make a natural self-tanning product.
Finally we can procure online the two sugars that have a self-tanning function: erythrulose and DHA (dihydroxyacetone): these are natural molecules that are not harmful to the skin that react with the proteins present in the surface cells of the skin, forming aggregates ranging from orange to light brown.
You can find DHA and erythulose on sale online on sites specialized in raw materials for spignatto.
